New South Wales Police are reportedly facing questions after former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas allegedly sustained a serious eye injury while being arrested during an anti-Israel protest in Sydney on Friday night.
As reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, police are being questioned on whether or not they used new anti-protest powers allowing them to break up protests in places of worship during the incident.
Thomas — who ran against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Grayndler — was arrested on Friday in Belmore, alongside four others, during a protest outside of SEC Plating, which the protestors claim supplies plating for F-35 jets used by the Israeli Defence Force.
During the arrest, the former Greens candidate suffered a serious facial injury, which could result in her losing “sight in one eye”, per 9News.
According to NSW Police, the protest was “unauthorised” and at the time, officers issued a move-on direction to “a group of about 60 protestors” after they allegedly attempted to block access into the business.
“Police issued a second move-on direction to the group,” NSW Police said in a statement.
“A 26-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman were subsequently arrested after allegedly failing to comply with the direction. During the 35-year-old woman’s arrest, she sustained facial injuries and was taken to Bankstown Hospital for treatment.”
Per the SMH, police are set to meet with Thomas on Sunday for an interview and gather medical advice, which could upgrade investigations into a critical incident.
On Sunday, NSW Police confirmed Thomas has been issued a Future Court Attendance Notice for “hinder or resist a police officer in the execution of duty and refuse/fail to comply with a direction to disperse”.
Concerns over “place of worship” anti-protest powers
A police fact sheet — obtained by the SMH — notes “place of worship” in regards to the arrest.
Right across the road from the building is the Teebah Islamic Association Mosque, which is located on Lakemba Street in Belmore.
In February of this year, NSW Premier Chris Minns passed new laws that banned protests near places of worship, which came off the heels of the Dural Caravan Incident, in which a caravan full of explosives was found alongside an address of a synagogue, Jewish people and antisemitic messaging.
According to the act, NSW Police cannot issue move-on directions for protests unless it’s decided it’s a “serious risk” to safety, blocks access or impedes traffic near a place of worship.
New South Wales Police have denied that it used anti-protest laws on Friday and that the group were given a move-on order for allegedly blocking access into the building.
Greens MP Sue Higginson has questioned the police’s use of the anti-protest powers, stating that she was “shocked but unsurprised” by what happened to Thomas.
“It’s written there in black and white. A direct reference to the anti-protest laws rushed through the NSW Parliament under the sordid non-disclosure of the truth around the Dural caravan incident,” she told the SMH.
“I, along with others in parliament, warned the premier and his government that we would see this level of impunity, and now here it is.”
When pressed about his anti-protesting laws on Sunday, Minns said it was too early to comment on whether it was an appropriate use of the new powers.
“I’d wait for that information to come in,” he said, per the publication.
“I’m obviously concerned about her injuries [and] anyone who is in those circumstances, I’d wish a speedy recovery.”
All five protestors who were arrested last Friday have been granted bail and will appear before Bankstown Local Court on Tuesday, July 15.
The former Greens candidate is set to appear at Bankstown Local Court on Tuesday, August 12. Thomas currently remains in Bankstown Hospital.
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